Items of the Forgotten
by C and C Fan
Summary: Three vermin, trying to make a living by salvaging and looting ruins find out that some places were never abandoned. P.S. I'll try to update for every review.
1. Chapter 1

"So, what's our plan?" The weasel asked as he pulled on his thick leather gloves. He was a lithe and sinewy fellow, with close cut brown fur. Other than that, the only distinguishing factor about his appearance was a horizontal scar above his right eye.

"Don't ask stupid questions Yuuda. What is this, your 100th salvage mission?" replied the ferret seated opposite of the weasel. The ferret, an albino, was remarkably skinny, even for his species.

"97th, actually. And John, I thought that the only stupid questions were the unasked ones. Besides, you never know. Remember that old vermin camp in the Northlands? " The weasel began putting on his leather armor, not necessarily a requirement for his job, but a useful asset nonetheless.

"That's the reason why we carry weapons, idiot. And other than the occasional rough and tumble, we never had any trouble. Also, when was it really any different? Sneak in, find all the loot, and then torch the place. We haven't really deviated from the formula since we started this gig. This time it's an abandoned hovel, not necessarily breeding grounds for bandits and marauders, so you don't have to worry about further damage your ugly mug." replied John. He pulled out some flint from his pocket along with a fresh cigar from the tabletop.

"Alright. If there is no difference, then I think the only question this time is when do we leave?" Yuuda finished dressing, and was now tightening his belt.

"Immediately. Well actually, as soon as I finish my smoke. In the mean time, wake up Andrew. We'll need him conscious so he can crunch the numbers." After a few unsuccessful attempts with the flint, he was able to ignite the cigar. "Well, don't just keep watching me! You aren't paid to stand here!" John waved the cigar towards the adjacent room for emphasis, spraying crumbly embers into the air. Yuuda frowned and quickly turned to go.

"Hmph! That fat bastard Andrew has it easy," muttered Yuuda under his breath. "Hardly does anything except eat, sleep, and scribble." The weasel crossed into the connecting room, their impromptu barracks. It was relatively plain and rather boring room, with beige walls, beige carpet, and three small beds with beige sheets. One of the beds was covered with food, crumpled paper, and the large blob of black blubber known as Andrew.

The weasel sighed and walked over to the slumbering rat. "Hey! Wake up!" said the weasel, poking Andrew on his huge belly with a claw. The sleeping form muttered something indistinctly and rolled over. "So that won't work huh?" Yuuda spotted a half full pitcher of water , retrieved it, and held it over the rat's face. "Time for Plan B," said the weasel and promptly emptied the contents of the pitcher.

The results were immediate. "What in the Hellgates was that for!?" spluttered the thoroughly soaked rat. He sat up, throwing various food wrappings and rinds all over the floor and the weasel.

"Well unlike the cushy jobs of desk clerks and shopkeepers, we salvagers can't afford having breakfast in bed and spend the day twiddling our paws," replied the weasel coolly, wiping off a spare fruit rind from his fur. He grasped Andrew's paw and pulled him up after a brief struggle.

"So what do you want me to do again?" yawned the rat, scratching his large posterior.

"Whatever Boss wants you to do, of course."

Pulling the dozy Andrew by the arm, Yuuda dragged him over to the living room. John was still peacefully smoking his cigar, without a care in the world. Breaking free from Yuuda's grasp, Andrew seated himself on a stool, the old wood creaking with stress.

Giving the ferret a dirty look, the rat started complaining, a typical morning ritual for him. "What do you want now? I was having a very pleasant dream about good food and wine and mansions until I was rudely interrupted by an unpleasant waterfall down by face!" grumbled the rat.

"We need you to estimate the value of the salvage we'll bring back from this abandoned hovel."

Andrew snorted. "You'll be lucky if you can find a spare lantern or at best, some plowshares. Why'd you even bother waking me up?"

"You never know until you go in, right? Remember that one burrow near the Eastern edge of Mossflower Woods? The former occupants had genuine badger-forged steel hidden under the floorboards. We worked up quite a sum thanks to you. If I remember, most of it went into acquiring this current base of operations," said John, flicking some ash off the end of his smoke.

"Still, that wasn't that just a lucky haul? It's been ages since our last genuinely good run, and that was in that old mausoleum. Shouldn't we scout out some more?"

"It'll take too long. Plus, winter is going to set in soon, so I think we should just take our chances. We already have enough supplies to last us through the season, so what's the problem with making a little change on the side?"

The rat groaned with exasperation and put his paws to his face. "I guess we're going to have to stick with hardtack and water this season. Fat chance of rare cheese and seasoned wine," sighed the rat with exasperation.

"Don't be so gloomy!" laughed Yuuda, slapping Andrew on the back and nearly knocking him off the chair. "It's better than starving, right? Who knows? Maybe we can get a real motherload this time!"

"You always say that," mumbled Andrew from behind his paws. "And you've been with John for over 10 seasons. Don't you miss your family back in the East?"

"Yeah. I do. But I promised them a good house and enough wealth to last us so that I would never have to leave again. And I cannot break that promise." The weasel replied quietly.

"Hey guys! I'm done with my smoke!"

2 Hours Later

"So, this is where we get our next payload, huh? " commented Yuuda.

The pair hiked for about 4 hours to reach the abandoned house, having to navigate thick woods and uneven terrain. Although John felt relieved that they finally reached their destination, his partner was less than satisfied. It might have been grand at one point in time, but that has long since past. The triangular roof was half collapsed and half the dwelling was missing because of it. "It looks like nobeast lived here for several dozen seasons, don't you reckon? I think bandits and looters would have probably stripped it to the bone by now."

"Look, if you don't want any share, then be my guest. And if not, shut your gob!" snapped John.

"Alright, alright, I was just fooling around."

And without any further ado, they entered the building.


	2. Chapter 2

The residence was a rather sorry sight. The shattered roof collided the floor about 3 quarters of the way across the room, almost halving the original space. The walls were also no better, rotted almost to the point of collapse. The floor was the worst. Trash and debris from what used to be a ceiling layered completely covered the ancient boards.

"Doesn't look like much, does it?" commented Yuuda as he raised his lantern to get a better view. "One room, two if you include the possibility of a cellar." He started to set the lantern down on a table until he saw that it only had three of its original four legs. "All the furniture is practically rotted-" He paused to pick up what appeared to be a spoon before promptly tossing it aside. "And all the metalware is rusted useless. What do you think John? Still worth sticking around for?"

"Check if there's a cellar. If we can't find any metal we might find some food," the ferret snapped back after nearly impaling his footpaw on a rusty nail. Kicking it aside, he looked distastefully at the floor at the floor for a few moments before turning around. "This place isn't that large. I'll go stand watch." John withdrew his crossbow from his back and loaded a quarrel in before stepping outside.

"Just don't get killed!" cautioned Yuuda.

"I don't intend to," replied the ferret with a snort.

Chuckling to himself, the weasel crouched down with his light, brushing aside trash and debris for any sign of a handle or ring. "No, hmm. Nothing yet. Maybe that's it? No," he muttered as he searched.

"You don't need to keep giving me status reports every second. Just find it!" shouted John irately from the doorway.

"Okay, okay! It's just nice to hear a familiar voice to comfort me," said the weasel. He resumed his work with silence. At first, there wasn't much luck. Yuuda spent nearly 20 minutes rummaging through the remnants of what used to be a hardwood floor while John's patience wore thin. Not soon after however, he found what appeared to be a crack in the floor. Pushing aside the worm eaten planks he found a broken iron handle stapled into the floor.

"Hey John! I think I've finally found it!" he hollered back.

"Good! Now tell me if you find anything worth bringing back!"

Putting down his lantern, Yuuda rolled up his sleeves, gripped the handle, and tugged. Nothing happened. He tried again with similar results. "Must be on the wrong side, huh," Yuuda stood up and reversed his grip to the other side before trying again.

As with before, nothing happened. But after a few seconds of sustained pulling, the trapdoor gave way and lifted up, its hinges screeching from many seasons without oil. A great gaping hole appeared, looking like some the maw of some long dead monstrosity. Yuuda cautiously looked down the steps leading down the pitch-blackness of the cellar.

"Okay, I'm going down!" Yuuda looked back to make sure his partner was still there. Sure enough, the ferret was leaning against the doorway, his trusty crossbow at ready. John nodded his head to ensure that he had his back.

Retrieving his lantern, he put a cautionary paw down on the first step to guarantee its stability. It squeaked from the weight, but it held. Heaving a sigh of relief, he started to warily descend the stairs, keeping his free hand on the hilt of his machete.

To the weasel's surprise, it was rather orderly compared to the upstairs. The cellar was very cramped however, a square room that was only about as wide as he was tall. It was mainly dominated by several dozen earthenware pots and enclosed glass jars stacked haphazardly against the walls. There was also a small, waist high table pushed under the staircase.

Without any delay, he set the lantern onto the dirt floor and began the tedious task of rifling through the contents of the pots. They may have once held grain and barley, but most of them were unsurprisingly empty, much to Yuuda's disappointment. The few pots that were filled were also inhabited with a wide variety of various insects. He kept the lids on for those.

When he finished with the pots, he turned to the various preserve jars. Unlike the pots, the problem was not necessarily the lack of contents, but _what_ the contents were. Yuuda had quite a bit of difficulty identifying the difference between what appeared to be a pickled egg, and which also could have been somebeast's eye. Only a few jars were labeled, but that didn't seem to help much. A jar labeled "Taters" were filled with what seemed to be suspiciously close to severed toes.

After several frustrating minutes at attempting to classify what is edible and what is toxic, the weasel threw down his pack with exasperation and started tossing in anything that he could at least recognize at first glance.

As he loaded his pack, Yuuda began contemplating what he would have to eat for the next 3 months. He smiled again when he realized that Andrew would also have to put up with it. Right as he was about to place the last jar in, his paw slipped and it fell underneath the table, shattering and sending jam and shards all over the floor and onto his boots.

"Damn," he cursed silently before bending down to clean the stick preserves off his boots. Something caught his eye as he crouched, though. There appeared to be something sticking out from underneath the table. Forgetting all about the mess, Yuuda leaned closer. A bent iron nail tacked a folded letter by a corner from behind one of the legs, hiding it from obvious view. Furrowing his brow, he grasped the table leg with his left paw and slowly eased the nail out with his right. After he removed it, he delicately pried opened the sealed letter.

The letters were faded from age, and the script almost illegible from the messy print, but the weasel had enough of an education to make it out. It read:

_To my Dearest Rosa_,

_Due to circumstances beyond my control, I had to leave this place. This may upset you, considering the time and memories we have had under this roof, but to preserve our family's standing and wealth, I have decided to move back to my home. I do not have much time left before I reach the Dark Forest and I wish to spend it in the land of my youth. To provide you some solace from the grief, I have drawn this map detailing the location of the remnants of my legacy: Diamond Fire._

_Good Fortune to you, Tom_

At the sight of the words Diamond Fire, the weasel immediately folded open the bottom flap of the letter. True enough, there was a hastily scrawled map drawn underneath the script, but Yuuda unfortunately, could not recognize any of it. After a few moments of intense scrutinizing, he shrugged and gave up. Folding it back up, he tucked into his pocket for safekeeping. He picked up his lantern and headed back upstairs.

John was still standing at the door, the very picture of boredom.

"Hey John! I found something!" called the weasel to the ferret.

Losing all trappings of dignity, John immediately shot bolt upright and sprinted the narrow distance to the trapdoor, nearly tackling his partner back down.

"What was it!? A priceless heirloom?! Gold!? Various items of a valuable origin!?" squeaked John, practically drooling with excitement.

"First, I need you to get off me." The ferret immediately obeyed. "It's-"

"Yes, yes! I'm listening!" John leaned ever closer, his eyes becoming wider and wider from anticipation.

"A MAP!" exclaimed Yuuda, opening the letter with a dramatic flourish. The ferret's face immediately fell back into its normal, scowling self.

"A map," repeated John.

"Yes! But apparently, it could lead to some sort of priceless treasure! It's in the town of Diamond Fire! You know, that old mining place?"

The ferret raised a curious eyebrow. "A treasure map? Show me."

The weasel passed it. The ferret scanned it for a few moments, then turned it upside down. The map went through several revolutions before he gave it back.

"Diamond Fire? Wasn't that overrun by several warlords dozens of seasons ago? It's still dangerous now, isn't it? By the way, I can't even read this."

Yuuda nodded. "But we also have a duty, considering the fact that we are salvagers and not common raider scum to try and locate the original owners. But since letter looks like it's been quite a few season already and the fact that it was never opened before I found it, the poor beast's wife may have been killed or captured by brigands. And since there are no owners to claim the salvage…"

The ferret's grin reappeared. "Aye. I think we can afford one more run before winter sets in."


	3. Chapter 3

"What!?" shouted John, slamming both his paws onto the dinner table. "The Guild fired us!?"

"Well actually, they shortened your guys contracts to next Spring," explained Andrew calmly, chowing down on the pickled eggs that Yuuda brought back. "Here, I have the letter for you to read." He pulled out a small white rectangle with a half broken seal on it.

John snatched it from his hand and began reading. As his eyes scanned the document, the ferret's albino face flushed to a deep crimson. "Damn those bastards!" he screamed, pounding both his paws against the polished wood in frustration. "We-can't-do-anything-over-the-Winter!" screamed John, hitting the table between words.

Yuuda gripped his friend's paws to keep him from causing further abuse to the table.

"We need that table to eat from, John. Can't we discuss this in a civilized manner and hear what else Andrew has to say?"

The ferret sighed and collapsed back into his chair, holding his head in his paws.

"Now Andrew, as you were saying?" inquired Yuuda politely.

"Yes, well you guys are both reservists for the Ordered Territories Army and Guild of Restoration Salvagers. And because of this, you guys get paid a double salary. However-" he said, pointing up a finger, "neither of you are full duty for either organizations. Therefore, although both of you make quite a sum of money because of your double dipping, you're not considered an integral part of the Guild, unlike me. And because of internal financial problems and all, we have been cutting down on members. That includes most part timers."

"Well if they wanted to get rid of us for not being full Guild operators, why didn't they just terminate our contracts instead of extending them?" asked John, bemused by this strange act.

"Well, here's the interesting part. You and Yuuda both have a pretty good track record when it came to your jobs. So the Guild, being sympathetic decided to give us a nice little consolation prize for our seasons' work," said Andrew, fishing some preserved olives out of a jar.

The pair glanced at each other briefly before turning their eyes back to Andrew.

"So if we submit something to them before autumn's end, will they accept it?" asked John.

"Certainly, but I don't think we would find something within half a season…"

"Aha!" exclaimed Yuuda, startling Andrew into dropping a pickled egg.

"Aha? What do you mean by that?" asked the rat, hastily picking the egg off of the carpet and plopping it back into his maw.

"I, Yuuda, have found a treasure map!" pronounced the weasel triumphantly. He thrust his paw into his haversack, which was conveniently placed underneath the table, and pulled it out.

"Yuuda found it while we were at that old hovel. We couldn't read it, unfortunately, but you, being the expert in cartography and geography may be able to help us in that regard," explained John, taking the map from Yuuda and passing it to Andrew.

"Hmmm." Andrew drew his head closer to the map. "And do you have a general idea where this treasure is located?" he inquired.

"Diamond Fire-" blurted out Yuuda before John could stop him.

"Diamond Fire! We can't go there!" screamed Andrew in fright, egg chunks flying from his mouth.

"Now, now, now, Andrew! Calm down!" assured John. "We can't jump to conclusions yet!"

"Jumping to conclusions!? That place has been in perpetual warfare for longer than anyone can remember! Even the Ordered Territories Military of which you are so proud of couldn't stop the warlords, now could they? They just kept coming and coming, without end! The OT may have had the advantage in training and equipment, but it didn't matter because of the numbers! They also torture their prisoners! They cut of paws and snouts and tails! Just for looking at them! And now you're asking me to go there with you guys? Oh no! I'm not going!" Andrew shook his head vigorously to emphasize this.

At this declaration, Yuuda stood up, walked up to the rat, and promptly punched him squarely in the snout, knocking him flat down. He cried out in pain and started to stand until the weasel kicked him back down again.

"Shut up and listen. I promised this. This maybe my only chance to see my family ever again, Andrew. If this were just about you, then I wouldn't mind. But this is my, no, OUR last chance. We can't pass this up. Think about it," and with this, he stepped off him and sat back down.

"You didn't have to do that," mumbled Andrew, wiping blood off his snout with his shirt sleeve.

"You were hysterical," replied John.  
Andrew muttered something incoherently and staggered back up to his feet. "I've decided I'll need a few moments alone here," he announced. He pointed to the barracks door. "Please leave me for now. You'll get my reply in the morning." And with that, he took his lamp and the map and walked out to the front porch, shutting the door behind him.

"That was unnecessary, Yuuda," commented John when he spotted a small dribble of blood on the carpet. "If you kept your mouth shut about the location, we could have had him playing along enough before he could find out."

The weasel shrugged in reply. "Andrew may be a fat lazy bastard, but he's no fool. He would know what would be going on, and he would never forgive us for duping him. I knew I would lose in a war of words with him, so I tried to communicate in the clearest and most straightforward way," said Yuuda, scratching his tail casually.

"Subtlety never was your strong point, Yuuda.," chuckled John.

"It wasn't something I learned in school or my parents, so to me, it's unnecessary," yawned the weasel. "My mother taught me everything I had to know bookwise. My father taught me everything I had to know with his paws. That's good enough for me."

"Sure it is," snorted the ferret. "Well, I'm planning on catching a few winks myself. See you in the morning."

John left the room. Yuuda smiled to himself briefly and closed his eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

Yuuda awoke to the sound of Andrew's voice. "Yuuda! Yuuda! Yuuuuudaaaa!"

The weasel painfully strained opened his eyes. The rat was eating a honey cake and grinning stupidly. Yuuda smiled weakly in return. "So you finally decide to get off your bottom and come with us for once. My fortunes are all ready looking bright."

Andrew scowled at the accusation. "After much contemplation, I've decided to come only on the condition that we travel only at night while we're in that region. We may have to be more vigilant and cautious, but the chance of an attack would go down significantly."

The weasel nodded sleepily, his eyes half closed. "Travel at night, be vigilant, got it." He was about to lapse back into unconsciousness until Andrew shook him roughly awake.

"Get up! Weren't you the one that got all huffy about me not going!? I need you to make sure you understand this well enough to explain to John in the morning."

"Yes, but it's still-" Yuuda glanced over to the clock mounted on the wall. "3 in the morning!? What are you doing awake at this time? And why are you bothering me? Is John even awake? This is a dream right?"

"One, because I needed to inform you of my decision, two, because John is less compassionate, and no to three and four."

The weasel blinked and then yawned. "Oh. Can I go back to sleep again?"

"Yes you can, but are you SURE you can remember that?"

"Yeah," said the weasel, nodding his head.

"Okay, I'm going back to bed now. I just wanted to tell you this ASAP because of your outburst last night. "  
"Alright, alright! I understand it crystal clear! Good night!" And for the second time that night, Yuuda went back to the land of dreams and shadows.

"Good morning, everyone!" shouted John in his unmistakably loud and high-pitched voice. As usual, he was smoking one of his extra thick cigars, the ones he broke out whenever there was a special occasion.

Yuuda snapped awake immediately from the dining table chair. Despite his weariness, he knew better than to cross John in the morning. Rubbing his eyes in discomfort, he trudged over to the washroom to get ready for breakfast.

Andrew on the other hand, simply groaned quietly and turned over in his bed sheets. Seeing this sorry lack of self-discipline, the ferret marched over into the barracks and forcibly tore the coverings off the rat.

"Come on, Andrew! What are you waiting for, breakfast in bed?" he said with disgust.

"That would be nice, Mom," mumbled the rat, still dreaming of home.

The ferret's eye involuntarily twitched. Without another word, he took the cigar from his mouth and crushed the end onto the rat's rump.

"AAAHHH!" screamed the rat in pain and surprise, grabbing his large posterior with both paws.

Yuuda heard the commotion and burst out of the restroom, his face still lathered with soap. "What in the Gates are going on!" he shouted in surprise. The sight of Andrew hopping around the barracks with both paws on his bottom answered his question.

"You gave him one of your morning motivators, didn't you, you dirty ferret!" laughed the weasel, barely able to contain his mirth.

"Sure did, but it's a pity. I wasted a good cigar!" chuckled the ferret. "I didn't hurt you too badly, did I, Drew?"

The rat shot him a dirty look. "No you didn't, but you could have seriously injured me! I could have been lamed permanently! Thankfully, it's just a light burn. Hardly fitting to treat your only navigator," he grumbled, rubbing the burnt spot.

"I got some aloe in the restroom. Need help applying it!?" squealed the weasel with laughter, barely able to breathe from the hilarity.

"Hmph. I can take care of myself," said the rat with as much dignity as possible, and strode into the restroom and locked the door.

"So," began John, wiping a tear from his eye, "Do you know what I want for breakfast?"

The weasel scratched his head at this strange question. "Ummm. Toast?"

"Toast?" replied the ferret, an unusual smile on his face. "Toast? You expect me to eat toast?"

"Ummm…Yes?" said Yuuda, a little confused.

"I-Want-WAFFLES!!!!!!!!!," screamed John to his partner, grabbing the weasel by his shoulders and shaking him. "WAFFLES! WE CAN"T GET TREASURE WITHOUT WAFFOOOOS!!"

"Um…Okay…Waffles it is then!"

15 minutes later

"So, how do you like them waffles?" asked Yuuda to his friends. "My mother didn't spend her entire time just teaching me book stuff, you know." At John's request, the weasel whipped up a rather large batch of waffles, and liberally flavored them with the preserves he got from the cellar.

Andrew frowned while chewing. "If duffin tafe fery goof" he garbled through a mouthful of bread.

"Finish chewing," said John, elbowing Andrew in the ribs.

The rat swallowed. "It doesn't taste very good, but the jam that you got back from that shack made up for it. I'll rate it 3 out of 5."

"I think it tastes great, Yuuda. As a waffle connoisseur myself, I think it's pretty high quality for someone who grew up with a non-OT mother to learn all their cooking skills from," said the ferret, spearing a chunk of waffle with his fork.

"Thanks, at least someone appreciates my culinary prowess," said the weasel, cutting his own waffle into identical square chunks.  
"I never said your cooking was bad, Yuuda. It's better than starving at least," said John, dumping the contents of a strawberry preserve jar onto his dish. "Besides, you'll have a wife to go back to, don't you?"

"Yeah, but that depends on whether this mission succeeds or not…"  
Yuuda's train of thought was suddenly interrupted by a loud knocking on the door. Andrew abruptly stood up from the table.

"That must be him, I'll go get the door!" He was about to get up until John grabbed his arm before he could run off.

"Who exactly is _him_?" inquired the ferret suspiciously, one paw on his knife.

"Our guide," he said curtly and without another word, he ran up to the door and opened it. Both the ferret's and weasel's eyes grew wide at the sight of the beast.

The visitor was a rather large specimen of a river otter. He was garbed in rather simple clothing, a tunic and trousers, but the most striking features were the numerous and colorful arm tattoos and the presence of a gigantic broadsword on his back. He looked like the very definition of a high roller mercenary.

"These your pals, Drew?" said the otter, his voice sounding like a deep wardrum. His dark eyes flicked to John and Yuuda.

"Yes. Ummm, do you want to get-oomph!" began the rat before being pushed aside by the huge otter. He crossed over to the pair with in a matter of moments, his pawsteps shaking the glasses and silverware with every step. He stopped right in front of the ferret, and John stared straight back at him, not breaking eye contact. A few tense moments passed. Both Yuuda and Andrew unconsciously put their paws on their weapon hilts. However, they did not expect the otter to burst out laughing and offer out a heavily inked, webbed paw to John.

"Pleased to meet you, um John, right? I've heard quite a lot about you from Drew over here. Oh, and I'm James by the way, James Fairweather."

The ferret cautiously took James's paw and shook it.

"Likewise. But how do you know Andrew?" inquired the ferret, giving a sideways look over to the rat.

"Oh, me and him go way back. The Guild worked pretty close to us smugglers. I actually met him back when the government of Diamond Fire was somewhat existent," explained the otter, still pumping the ferret's paw.

"You can give back my paw now, Fairweather."

"Oh, sorry about that. Constant hours of punting does that." apologized the otter, releasing his death grip on John's paw. " Last night, he asked me to come and guide you guys into the region. Dangerous place, and it's gotten worse ever since the OT troops pulled out, but thank the Dark Forest, it isn't a nightmare anymore like it was during the war."

While they were conversing, Yuuda went over to Andrew and whispered into his ear. "I don't trust him. Smugglers will cut their own pelts off it means they can turn a profit."

"Don't worry. This guy's a professional. He proved to be invaluable aid to the Guild and OT military back during the civil war," whispered back Andrew from the corner of his mouth.

"And you must be Yuuda!" exclaiming the otter, seemingly materializing out of nowhere in front of them and badly startling the weasel.

"I've also heard quite a lot from you. Drew seems to put quite a lot of faith in your skills. I've heard that you even hauled out some of that old badger forged steel?"

"That was sort of luck more than skill," admitted the weasel, flushing with pride.

"Oho! So modest! We need more of your kind in the smuggling business!" chortled the otter, slapping Yuuda on the back hard enough to make him stagger.

"Thank you for the kind offer, but my line of profession pays well enough. I've had enough action for a lifetime. I've got a wife and dibbun back at home."

The otter nodded in understanding. "A family beast, huh? I understand your goals. But first, let's get down to business."

**PS: Waffles aren't that hard to make. Just some batter and a waffle iron is practically all that's required.**


	5. Chapter 5

"Okay, let's start with introductions then," announced Fairweather. He was seated on the other side of the dining table from the ferret and weasel. Andrew sat by Fairweather, trying to look dignified besides the grizzled smuggler. "I'm James Fairweather, and I come from Redwall Abbey in the far West-" he began before being interrupted.

"You came from Redwall!" exclaimed the three vermin in surprise. "The legendary graveyard of warlords? The home of the greatest warriors of all time? The resting place of the greatest weapon ever forged!?" The three were practically blasting out question after question in their excitement.

The otter scowled with irritation. "Yes, I come from Redwall Abbey, and no, it's just a ordinary abbey, with peaceful residents and a noble moral code. Now, I won't say anything more until you introduce yourselves. Its common courtesy you know, something that we were taught we were still dibbuns."

John smirked and sat back down. The other two followed. "Okay, okay, my parents didn't raise me that badly. I'm John Smith, as boring a name you can ever come across of. I'm from the Western region of the Ordered Territories and I'm also a part time soldier and part time salvager. There! Your turn, Yuuda."

The weasel sat up, trying to make a good first impression. "I'm Yuuda Hoffman, born on the isles East of the Ordered Territories, and was raised in the Eastern region of the Ordered Territories. I have a wife and a babe back home. I'm a reservist for the Ordered Territories military, and also a part time salvager, just like John." The weasel finished and turned his toward Andrew. After a few moments of silence from the rat, Yuuda lightly kicked his shin to get his attention.

"Ow! Um, well, I guess it's my turn then," muttered Andrew, scratching his head. "Ummm. I was born and I grew up in the Western Territories, and I'm a Guild of Restoration agent. Yeah. Why do we even have to do this again?"

"So, besides Drew over here, have any of you ever gone to or know about Diamond Fire?" asked Fairweather, ignoring Andrew. He drew a knife from a sheath on his leg, and started cleaning his claws with it.

"To be frank, no me and Yuuda haven't," replied John. "We however, were involved in the first part of the war with the Mountain Tribes to the West of the OT. It was practically lawless during the initial invasion phase. There was pillaging, murder, rape, and other atrocities occurring daily. I heard it was quite similar to the Restoration of Diamond Fire in fact." explained the ferret. He leaned back and pointed to a broken arrow mounted above his desk. "See that? That nearly took my life back in the Mountain War, if it weren't for gorget I was wearing."  
The otter nodded, flicking the blade to remove the dirt. "So at least you have some experience. What about the weasel?"

"Well, I was with an infantry team in the cities, actually. We specialized in securing a wide range of buildings, from huts to palaces. I only did two seasons before I was called back to reserves though. That's why I decided to become a salvager for the Guild, since I was good at breaking and entering," said Yuuda. He shrugged. "I though I might as well just apply the skills I learned."

"Alright, it seems the two of you can wipe your own bottoms, but I guess I need to know if you understand what happened when the OT pulled out after restoring the government in Diamond Fire." said the otter, sheathing back his knife and pulling out a large map.

"We were never told actually," said Yuuda. "The Ordered Territories said to the troops that they were finished and just left."

The otter sighed in exasperation and unrolled the map.

"Diamond Fire's government collapsed again several seasons ago, and unsurprisingly, there was a mass exodus of civilians. However, most are still stuck in the region, either by financial problems or threats from the two major warlord factions," he explained.

"So why didn't the other large nations or empires step in?" asked Yuuda curiously. "The Ordered Territories established the government last time, didn't they? Shouldn't they defend the state that they helped create?"

The otter gave a mirthless bark of laughter. "And they failed in the end! Why should they even care anymore since they didn't get it right the first time? The whole operation was simply an act of benevolence from the Territories, and seeing how temporary the whole thing was, they're not going to even lift a paw to help them now!"

"Whom are we up against this time, James?" asked Andrew examining the map of Diamond Fire.

"Well, one consists of a combination of political extremists and the members of the military coup. They're the called the Armed Forces for the Liberation of Diamond Fire, AFLDF for short. The second are some crazy cult called Paradise Fire. They want to return the region back to when it was still an isolationist kingdom. But all in all, they're both criminals masquerading as saviors."

"Well, how do they get their funding if they don't have any foreign relations?" inquired Yuuda. "An army marches on its stomach, and vittles and supplies has costs."

Fairweather chuckled and pulled out what appeared to be a dirty white rock. The ferret and weasel craned their heads upwards to get a better look. "See this? The only thing Diamond Fire had since the beginning of time has been these cursed rocks! And ever since the two factions seized the fields, production has exploded! Even if there's a war going on, there will always be a demand for these diamonds…" Fairweather paused, his gaze frozen to the diamond.

"But outside guilds or merchants won't buy them! If they purchase items from warmongers, they will lose credibility among the masses!" exclaimed Yuuda, slamming both paws onto the table for emphasis.

"Ah, that's where we come in. True, large guilds and merchants won't buy from the warlords, but they will buy from us smugglers, since we are technically merchants first. We purchase the stones and sell them to the guilds in secret. Or the warlords just use us as couriers for a price. We play both sides against the middle. You see, only we win." The smuggler sighed and pocketed back the rock. "But sometimes, I wonder if it's right."

"Why aren't you living in some giant mansion back in the territories?" enquired John, suspicious. "If Andrew is right, you've been in this business long enough to make a considerable sum already…"

Fairweather shrugged in reply. "I still have some business to attend to. Oh, and one last question." Andrew groaned in dismay. Fairweather continued. "Do you guys all know how to fight?"

"What are you, stupid?" laughed out John. "Of course we can fight! What do you think me and Yuuda have been doing in the military the whole time; twiddling our paws? I'm an expert marksman with a crossbow, if I can say so myself, and Yuuda here is rather good with his hatchet-"

"Breaching tool!" corrected Yuuda.

"Right, breaching tool and his gardening tool."

"Machete!"

"Whatever, but anyways, me and Yuuda are more than capable of fighting."

The otter pointed a claw towards Andrew.

"You forgot somebeast."

"Ummmmmm. Uhhh. I'm not sure. Do you know how to fight Drew?" asked John hesitantly.

"Of course! I'm no freeloader pacifistic coward!" exclaimed the rat, puffing out his chest.

Yuuda muttered under his breath. "That's news to me."

"I didn't learn nothing from my schooling you know! I learned from the finest sword masters that ever lived!"

"Well! I guess that covers it up!" shouted Fairweather over the other vermin's snorts of disbelief. "Now that everyone's qualified, I'm going to go out to get my craft ready for tomorrow. We'll have a long day ahead won't we!?" He got up from the table and without another word, he got up and left the house.

"In like lightning out like a flash." commented John. He strode up to his desk and selected a cigar from his vast collection. "I guess we just have to enjoy our last dinner here, won't we?"

**Sorry it took me a while to update. I'll try update more frequently from now on.**


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning, the three were awakened by the sound of a familiar pounding on the front door. The two others barely stirred, but the ferret woke up with a moan of exhaustion. Groggily, John worked his way upon onto his paws and stumbled to the door. "Coming!" he half said, half groaned. He fumbled with the doorknob briefly before successfully opening the door

Unsurprisingly, the huge form of Fairweather dominated the doorway. However, instead of being clothed in a heavy cloak, this time, he only wore short trousers and a loose, sleeveless shirt. His broadsword and smile remained present though.

"Oh, good to see you so excited and ready!" chuckled the otter at the sight of the half dressed John. The ferret raised an eyebrow. "Go wake the others, I'll wait here," laughed Fairweather.

The ferret sighed and went back into the cabin. Going first to the sleeping form of Andrew on the arm chair in his study, he roughly shook the rat awake. This time however, Andrew didn't complain, but instead leap out of the chair and rushed straight toward the doorway.

John blinked at this sudden burst of enthusiasm from Andrew, but he just shrugged and went onto to Yuuda. Yuuda, unlike Andrew, didn't tend to sleep very well and was always moving around in his bed. It wasn't due to nightmares however, since Yuuda never cried out in his sleep and was always well rested when he woke. Despite that, he still had to deal with the inconvenience of making his entire bed over in the morning. This morning was no different, the weasel having his head upside down over the foot of the bed.

The problem with Yuuda was trying to actually get him out of bed rather than wake him up though. Yuuda always required a little bit of encouragement to get out of bed, but John was usually successful.

Crossing over to the snoring Yuuda, he put his paw over the weasel's head and started to tap his forehead. Yuuda's snoring immediately cut off and he crooked opened an eye

"Yes?" mumbled Yuuda.

"It's time to go," replied the ferret curtly.

"Oh. Well, five more minutes," said the weasel and was about to lapse back into sleep before John roughly grabbed him by the shirt collar and dragged him out of bed.

"Hey!" exclaimed the weasel with surprise. "I'm not Andrew!"

"No, but you have as bad a habit as him," he snapped back before dragging Yuuda to his footpaws.

"Oh okay, okay! if it's SO important, I'll give up," muttered the weasel. Grumbling about his interrupted sleep cycle, Yuuda and John went back to the living room, where Fairweather and Andrew were chatting amiably.

"Oh!" It's nice to see you both here now!" said Fairweather, "Me and my mate Andrew were just chatting about our method of transportation to get there."

"And?" inquired John and Yuuda simultaneously.

"Currently, I've decided upon my raft. We need to cover about 300 miles to get to Diamond Fire and if we walk, it'll take a , it's safer that way."

John nodded his head. "Sounds good to me. Any objections? Andrew? Yuuda?"

Andrew shrugged his shoulders. "I guess it's the best option we have."

Yuuda nodded. "Okay, I'm good with boats."

Fairweather stood up. "Since we're all agreed, then what are we waiting for! I'll just get my boat ready, and I'll come back to you in about…Three hours."

Sorry about the wait. Computer viruses and internet crashes were frequent.


	7. Chapter 7

Within a span of a few hours, the four travelers were well on their way down the river south, to their destination. The day was beautiful and the weather was perfect for boating. However, the same could not be said about one of the travelers.

"You all right there, Yuuda?" inquired Fairweather casually at the sound of the weasel retching. Fairweather was seated near the front of his barge, but the weasel was bent over a crate near the stern. John and Andrew were sleeping peacefully in the middle, using their packs as pillows. Yuuda originally came on to the vessel like an indestructible warrior, but within twenty minutes, the weasel could barely sit up.

Yuuda grinned back weakly. "Top of the world, mate. Mind if you speed it up a bit? Water's too choppy for me."

"Sorry bout that, but I can't go any faster since the wind's going in the opposite direction. But, you can paddle if you want," he said, handing over a paddle to Yuuda.

The weasel vigorously shook his head and gave it back. "I'll pass. I've done enough when I was a dibbun."

"Oh really?" said the otter. "Have you had any other experience with boats, Yuuda?" asked Fairweather.

"Well, I know how to paddle an outrigger, but I honestly have no idea how to work a sail."

"Where'd you learn?" asked Fairweather.

"I was raised on an island, and my father wanted me to learn as much as I could about the sea with the navy dibbuns. Problem was, my father was a ground soldier, and I was the only weasel among all the otter pups. So, to tell you the truth, I was at the bottom of the class when it came to swimming and paddling."

Fairweather laughed again uproaringly.

"Is there anything you don't laugh at, Fairweather?" sneered Yuuda.

"Quite a bit actually, but a weasel swimming with otters is hard to picture with a straight face."

"I was also a lifeguard for the community pond you know, for all the navy otters and shrews." stated Yuuda with pride.

"Only out of pity probably," he laughed. "But, at least I know you can float." He acknowledged. What about the other two?" asked Fairweather, motioning towards the two vermin.

Yuuda scowled at the question. "I don't really know if they can swim or not, but I'd just like to know how they have the stomach to handle it. Andrew ate quite a lot this breakfast, and John always has a hearty dinner. It's not fair.

"In all my experience over the years, Yuuda, there's always been the ONE beast that couldn't handle it on the ride, and congratulations, it's you!"

"Oh. Why do I always have the worst luck!" exclaimed the weasel.

"So, lunch time on the good ship Rosebud," announced Fairweather. "What you have there John?"

The ferret opened up the haversack of food he brought aboard. "Well, we got some bread, cheese, and some stuff we recovered from the latest mission. I'll have-"

"I'll take the bread and cheese thank you," said the otter without further encouragement and snatched them straight out of the ferret's paws.

"Hey!" exclaimed the other three. The otter was already stuffing the vittles into his mouth.

Fairweather shrugged. "Hey, I'm the only beast who's technically working," he said with crumbs flying from his maw.

"But-" stuttered Andrew.

"Nope. I just navigate. You guys try not to get killed along the way."

Seeing that there could be no further argument, the three vermin grudgingly decided to eat the contents of the preserve jars. Andrew, being the least finicky about the quality and nature of his vittles volunteered for first taste. Cautiously opening a jar of preserved eggs, he gingerly fished one out of the vinegar and plopped it into his mouth. John and Yuuda held their breath, anticipating Andrew to start choking.

The rat started chewing cautiously and after a few seconds, he swallowed.

"And?" inquired John.

"It's alright. Not the best I had, but tolerable," said Andrew, giving his verdict. "Here, you try." The rat passed over the jar to Yuuda. The weasel shrugged, took one out of the jar, and stuffed it into his mouth. The weasel, being hungry from his ordeal with motion sickness, simply swallowed.

"Not half bad," he said, nodding with agreement. "Try one, John," said Yuuda and tossed him an egg.

John stared at it cautiously, sniffed it, and took a bite out of it. Immediately, he started choking and coughing. "Hey, you alright?" asked Fairweather, pulling himself away from his meal. He slapped the ferret's back firmly, and after several seconds of sustained coughing, John recovered.

" Pickled eggs aren't really for me. I'll just starve then," he said weakly.

The otter snorted with contempt."I'm not that heartless. And I need to make sure your strength keep. Can't have you die right when you find that legendary treasure, right? Here." He shoved a pawful of half eaten bread and cheese into the ferret's paw.

"Thanks," he mumbled back.

The other two were too busy eating the remaining contents of the jar to care.

"Thanks Yuuda! Mmmm! For once you brought home something worthwhile!" said the rat, popping one egg after another into his open mouth.

"Hey! I bring home the goods, you just sit on your little chair and scribble your stupid little love letters to your hundred 'lovers'," said the weasel, wrenching open a glass mason jar stuffed with preserved scallops.

"You got me there, Yuuda. But without me, you can't tell the difference between silver and tin, let alone gold and brass!"

"Oh shut your yap!" shot back the weasel, throwing a shellfish at Andrew. The rat, despite his girth, easily dodged the projectile and countered with an egg. Within a matter of moments, the two got embroiled into an intense food fight.

"Do they usually act like this?" asked Fairweather offhandedly, observing the two's squabbles with a smirk on his face.

"Yeah. They usually do. You see, Andrew came from a relatively rich merchant family. He went to the best schools, received the best education, the best anything practically. However, he tends to be rather a glutton and a rather unathletic one too. Despite that, he's the best I've ever known when it comes to working with numbers in the Guild. Can't even believe a spoiled rich rat like him would sign up to be in the Guild of Restoration. Yuuda on the other hand, came from a rather middle class military family. Not really famous or rich in any regards, his family still had its pride. So, Yuuda's father naturally wanted him to grow up to be ready to face the world and be the best of the best. Yuuda spend a lot of his time reading, but also spent more time exercising at doing whatever it took to make himself the best. That's why Yuuda doesn't like Andrew that much, despite being close friends. He knows he's smarter than him, but the fact that he's fat makes him the most frustrated."

"And what about you?" inquired Fairweather, grinning as he watched Yuuda duck an incoming egg, only to have another one splatter on his mug. The weasel countered by tackling the rat down to boards of the raft, rocking the craft.

"I'm sort of like Yuuda. I come from a military family, but unlike him, I was more of an average beast. The only thing I ever was real good at was sharpshooting with my Dad's crossbow. My family was much more lenient than his." John shrugged. "Parents really are their children, aren't they?"


	8. Chapter 8

"So this is Puja?" said the ferret with skepticism, looking out at the distant buildings from the deck.

"Aye, Puja. The largest town on the Diamond Fire border. The very threshold of hell." replied Fairweather.

"We stayed at an inn there last time!" piped up Andrew. "It was our head of operations when we worked there." Yuuda and John's spirits rose. For once, they could have adequate R&R during their missions.

"Well, if you lowered your standards by significantly, it could maybe have qualified as an inn. " chortled the otter. The hopes of the two others fell dramatically.

"Well, considering what we might face in the future, I don't think we would mind," said Yuuda, trying to be optimistic.

"Oh don't try to sound like you wouldn't care, Yuuda. You always complain at every given chance." said John with contempt.

"Always the bitter cynic, aren't you John. " chuckled Fairweather.

"I'm a team leader first, and friend second" He explained with pride. The weasel was right about to snap back at the ferret before Andrew burst in.

"Anyways." Blurted in Andrew. "I think we should have a plan to try find out whether or not we can get rooms there. It's usually very crowded and they don't accept regular currency."

"What!?"shouted out John and Yuuda simultaneously.

"You mean all this stuff we brought is useless!?" cried out Yuuda, emptying out his wallet.

"What are we going to pay them with?" said John to Fairweather.

"Naturally, with either food, weapons, or jewels." He replied, opening up a small pouch on his belt. John's and Yuuda's eyes opened in sheer amazement at the sight of the small fortune. Numerous gemstones of various colors, size, and shape flashed in the sunlight.

"A month's stay, along with black market support."

"That's it?" said Andrew, frowning with confusion. "We got a much better price deal last time."

"The situation got worse." shrugged the otter. "Everything's tight and border security is stricter than ever. Bribing the guards to get in and get out costs more than I usually make in a year. But I still know some beasts, so I can get into there maybe once more."

"Well, this is it. Best and only inn in Puja," said the otter. The quartet stood in front of the dilapidated building. Although it seemed to be standing, half of the structure seemed to be charred and there also seemed to be extensive water damage.

John raised an eyebrow. "This is our base for the next month?"

Fairweather winked in response. "You'll see. Appearances may seem deceiving."

"I'll be the judge of that." replied John, not breaking eye contact with the crumbling building.

The otter chortled and started toward the inn. The three others followed shortly behind. Fairweather opened up the rotting door and stepped into front room. The front desk was occupied by a very old, almost ancient looking mouse. As soon as he saw the burly otter appear however, a large and toothless grin appeared on his face.

"So Fairweather, how fare your adventures?" said the mouse with a very slow, croaking voice.

"Oh Robert, the usual. Debt chasers, unpaid mercenaries, unsatisfied customers. All would just love to skin my hide and use it as a doormat."

"So who are those? Your bodyguards?" asked Robert, pointing a withered paw at the other three.

"Oh them? Just fellow merchants and entrepreneurs. But besides that, do you have my old room key?"

The mouse tossed a bent and rusted key from behind the counter. Fairweather caught in deftly in one paw and motioned for the others to follow. Andrew looked uncertainly at the peeling wallpaper and half rotten roof beams. John and Yuuda were unbothered, both having experience in much less stable structures. When they reached the end of the hallway, Fairweather started to open up the door, but turned back to the three.

"I've had a personal room for reserved for myself for couple seasons. It's not my best, but it'll do. "

"Just hurry up and open the door! These bags are heavy!" groaned Yuuda in exhaustion.

The otter grinned and threw open the door.

"Fairweather, I will no longer question your judgment from this moment on." Said John softly.

Two extra large beds covered with beautiful velvet sheets dominated the back of the small room. The walls were in amazingly good repair, looking like they've been whitewashed yesterday. The furniture seemed to have been made from a guild class craftsman.

"How can you afford all of this?" inquired John suspiciously.

The otter shrugged his shoulders in response. "It's a risky business, but it pays off. We'l l go to town tomorrow. Get some sleep."


	9. Chapter 9

"Why do we have to do all these stupid errands?" asked Yuuda with exasperation. He held a shopping list in one paw, and in the other, a bag full of groceries. The four of them have gone to the open market in the small town and were now assembled in the corner of the market plaza. His two companions were similarly loaded down with various food items.

"Usually, I'm more prepared, but this was a real surprise visit." Replied Fairweather. "But look on the positive side; at least you know that you're not going to go hungry tonight!"

"Guess you're right." Said Yuuda.

A scream pierced the idle chatter of the market. A large crowd burst out from a nearby restaurant, and other curious bystanders flocked to watch. John was about to run to the scene until Fairweather pulled him back.

"I don't think you three should get involved, besides the locals don't know you so well." He said. "This shouldn't take long."And Fairweather strode off, one paw rested upon his broadsword. John, Yuuda, and Andrew all stood, looking rather useless as they held onto several bags of groceries as they watched their friend head towards the restaurant.

Fairweather pushed pass the various huddled squirrels, mice, and rats as he approached the clearing in the front of doors. In the center, a rather disheveled rat was gripping a small mouse babe by the neck, and was putting a short sword to his throat. The babe's mother was nearby, shrieking at the top of her lungs to release her child.

Fairweather, unafraid strode into the distance. Instantly, the rat turned to him.

"Back off riverdog, or I'll carve a new mouth for the babe!" he snarled, and for emphasis, started to press the knife deeper into the mouse's neck. Despite that, he glanced warily at the large blade at Fairweather's side.

"What do you want for the child then?" he asked cooly.

"My life! I was once a soldier of the king, and now, I'm a lowlife beggar. But at least I still have my honor, smuggler!"  
At these statements, the crowd started muttering. Fairweather heard the words "royalist" and "criminal" quite audibly among the members.

The otter simply pulled out a small sack of coins from his pack, and dumped out the contents. Unstrapping his armor and his sword, he threw them down. "You wish to be a soldier? Here's all that you need. Now you need to fufill your end of the bargain."

Throwing aside the mouse, the ex-soldier ran towards Fairweather with his sword, intent on capitalizing on the otter's apparent defenselessness. Fairweather however, acted quicker. Although he didn't have an actual weapon, he did know how to improvise. Rolling to the side to avoid being impaled, he grasped the now empty money bag from the ground, along with a pawful of dirt.

As the desperate rat tried to bring about his blade to meet the otter, Fairweather threw the sand into his eyes. Coughing and half-blinded he staggered back. That's all that Fairweather needed. Throwing the bag over the rat's head, he punched him several times in the face before finally smashing his face into the ground knocking him completely unconscious.

"You gave up your right as a soldier when you put your greed before reason,", he said softly before recovering his possessions. The crowd, seeing that there was no longer any spectacle ran back. However, the mouse and his mother stayed.

"Thank you," she said briefly before quickly departing. The child turned back to wave a paw, and Fairweather smiling ,winked back. His three companions, having watched the whole spectacle from the back rushed him.

"Wow, that was incredible Fairweather!" exclaimed Andrew. "For a second there, I thought you were actually going to give away all your stuff and walk away!"

"Oh don't be so stupid, Andrew, do you actually put that little stock in his judgment?" shot back John.

"Strange, weren't you were the one that always doubted him at first?" interjected Yuuda.

Before the three could erupt into an argument, Fairweather quickly cut them off. "Well,I'm sure glad no one didn't get hurt too badly! Want to go go get something to eat?"

"Wait, you didn't kill him did you?" asked Yuuda suspiciously, glancing back at the body of the rat.

"No, just knocked him out. The town constables will pick him up soon enough, assuming they actually commit to their jobs this time." Fairweather replied reassuringly. "Now, do you still want to go eat or what?"

**JUST A QUICK FILLER CHAPTER…I'LL TRY TO UPDATE MORE FREQUENTLY**

"


	10. Chapter 10

The town tavern wasn't an impressive site. The building itself, although large, had few interior furnishings. The plaster walls were showing their age, with yellowed walls and cracks running through. The floor wasn't much better, being a simple stone slab with garbage strewn here and there.

But despite the condition of the building, the few occupants were still joyful. A mixed crew of mice and other otters chatted amiably. As soon as the quartet entered the tavern a young hare in uniform immediately shot out of his seats and grasped Fairweather's paw in a vise iron grip.

"Michael Ironpaw sah, and that was outstanding! I've never seen such an excellent and gallant display of heroism, well other than the Salamanstradom hares, but for a river dog, you did amazing!" The hare shot out all this at break neck speed, talking as fast as he shook Fairweather's paw.

"Salamanstradom, you say? You come from there?" asked Yuuda. "The other legendary home of heroes in the West?"

The hare laughed at the remark. "Of course, my good vermin, I came just off the boat! In fact you're looking at a 1st Lieutenant of the Salamanstradom Hares!" Yuuda winced at the word vermin.

"A little green for a lieutenant, aren't you?" exclaimed John. "I've been in this gig for more than 15 seasons, and I'm still a staff sergeant. Parents must have been rich bunnies."

He scowled. "Hares, good sah, and my parents were warriors of the mountain. Anyways, what are vermin like you traveling with a fine otter like this?" looking distastefully at the three.

"They're my good friends _Lieutenant_, do you have a problem with that?" said Fairweather, towering over Michael.

"No, good sah, and sorry for being so rude, but I haven't gotten your names yet?"

"Well that's easy. But first, let's get seated. All this standing around is murder on my paws." The five immediately headed over to the nearest vacant table.

"Now that we're seated, I can introduce ourselves properly. I'm the noble James Fairweather, merchant extraordinaire The angry one's John, the skinny one's Yuuda, and the fat one's Andrew." He eloquently stated, pointing to each one in turn. Andrew glowered at the remark.

"Pleased to have met you all. But now, I have to resume my business," said Michael and promptly stepped out the door.

"Well that was fast," snorted Yuuda.

"Well, liars talk fast, my good vermin" replied John snidely.

"Shut up, John. I've never liked them rabbits anyways. Bunch of stuck up ponces, the lot of them!"

"Must have a death wish. Trouncing around outside like that with a king's ransom in his pockets."

"We better-" began Andrew before he was cut off by a large crashing sound.

" What do you think you're doing!" shouted Michael from outside. "I believe that belongs to me!"

"What convenient timing," muttered Fairweather from under his breath. The four immediately went to the window. A small gray rat was attempting to get away from the Michael, who was also desperately clinging to his the rat's leg.

"Shouldn't we help?" asked Andrew to John, scooting in next to him for a better view.

"No but - oh, he just tripped him" began John.

Outside, Michael just forced the rat to the ground and was proceeding to do a tug a war match for his purse. The rat snarled and hissed back, while the hare replied with more creative insults. Suddenly, the rat simply let go of his grip on the purse. Michael fell to the ground in surprise, and the rat, seeing the opportunity, pounced upon Michael, throwing out all intentions of keeping his paws clean.

What he got in instead was a boot to the snout. He fell to the ground, clutching his bleeding nose. Michael crossed over to the rat, and flipped him upright with his foot. Crouching down to him, Michael grasped him by his cloak lapel, and turned the rat's face to look at his.

"Sah, a theft I can forgive, but a blow while a beast is down…that's quite low, even for vermin. An honorable beast would fight, but not against the helpless. There's no valor in a hollow victory, my dear vermin. Now what do you have to say for yourself?"said Michael calmly to the frightened rat, briefly loosening his iron grip.

The thief paused for a moment, amazed that he wasn't dead. And a moment was all that he needed, because within a second, he had slipped out of his cloak and fled. Michael was left holding a tattered cloak, looking very angry and confused simultaneously. Frustrated, he threw it down into the dust and walked back to the tavern.

"See Yuuda," remarked John. "Sympathy for criminals only gives them more opportunities. If it were me, I would've run him through on the spot, or brought him in; whichever is more profitable."

"Really? I would've just broken his paws and left it at that," said Yuuda with a shrug.

"You both are idiots. That's why you keep your valuables around your neck," said Fairweather without taking his eyes off the Michael's approaching form. The hare slammed the door open, shaking the mugs and bottles on the tables.

"So? How was it?" asked the otter. "I would gladly learn to know the experience of one's first mugging."

"Awful. He didn't even listen or even react to my lesson in chivalry," he grumbled.

At this comment, the other four simultaneously burst into laughter.

"Chivalry! That's rich!" shrieked Andrew with merriment, clutching his portly sides.

"What next, a lecture on proper theft etiquette?" said John, tearing with laughter.

"I don't see what's so funny ," sniffed Michael. "I was just trying to be heroic, like Mr. Fairweather here."

Fairweather was trying his best at keeping a straight face. "Oh Michael, you best come with us, if you want any chance of surviving this hellhole," he choked out between giggles.  
"Hey! If you think that I'm going to travel with this stuck up-" began Yuuda, pointing an accusing claw at Michael.  
John suddenly tripped and fell into Yuuda before he could complete his sentence. As he struggled to help his friend up, he hurriedly whispered in his friend's ear something that changed Yuuda's outlook immediately. "He's loaded."

"What our dear weasel meant here, was that he would be glad for another companion to join us on our ventures." He said with a grin at the hare. "Right Yuuda?"

"Sure. Welcome to the gang." Said the weasel with a grimace.


End file.
